April 24, 2023

Dr. Grigsby Joins the Fondren Family
Fondren Pet Care is excited to announce that Dr. Laura K. Grigsby has joined our staff. A long-time friend of Dr. Fondren’s, Dr. Grigsby has been a well-known name to area pet owners for many years, most recently as the owner of Northlake Animal Hospital, which she sold in 2018. She’s also worked in several local clinics and as a vet advisory to Genesis Assistance Dogs, which trains and places dogs with people with disabilities.
Dr. Grigsby says she’s wanted to be a vet since she could talk. “I’ve never wavered from that dream,” she says. “I’ve never dreaded going to work, not a single day. It doesn’t seem like work. It seems like an adventure.”
Before college, the future Dr. Grigsby worked mostly in urban areas in her home state of Alabama, including for a veterinarian who specialized in farm animals. She graduated from veterinary school at Auburn University in 1979, and promptly moved to Florida “because it doesn’t get cold.” As a general practitioner, she has a special interest in surgeries and dentistry.
“When I visited Fondren Pet Care, I saw that they had up-to-date equipment, and the staff was just so friendly, smart, and experienced,” she says. “I feel comfortable doing surgeries here. I don’t do surgeries just anywhere, especially if I don’t feel comfortable with both the staff and the equipment, and especially if there’s an emergency.”
Now that she’s been a part of the Fondren family since October, Dr. Grigsby is a familiar face to our clients and their pets. “We know the people, the kids, their kids’ dogs. It’s a very family-oriented place to work because we’ve been here so long.”
Dr. Fondren herself was another draw. “I’ve known Dr. Mary a long time,” she says. “She’s always had a great reputation. Her clients don’t leave her. Almost all of them have been coming to her for years. Even their kids bring their pets. That’s the kind of place I wanted to work.”
Outside of work, Dr. Grigsby enjoys traveling to different countries and hiking with her family and beloved pooch, Indiana Jones. The family particularly enjoys visiting national parks, where they participate in activities such as kayaking and white water rafting.
“I wish every client knew the amount of work and good care their pets get when they’re here. “No one likes leaving their animals at the vet,” says Dr. Grigsby, “but if they saw how good our practitioners are and how closely we watch them, they would feel so much better. Clients can rest assured their pets are in good hands with us.”